Ball projector



M. J. BINKS BALL PROJECTOR Nov. 24, 1953 I INVENTOR J/WW0 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 25, 1951 M. J. BINKS BALL PROJECTOR Nov. 24,1953

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25, 1951 IN V EN TOR. {Fe/14b a 190%; BY 5 Patented Nov. 24, 1953 ass st OFFICE BALL PROJECTOR,

Melvin J. Rinks, Chicago, 111., assignor to Bepublic Fatent Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application April 25, 1951, Serial No. 222,913

4 Claims.

My invention relates to ball projector for projecting a ball through a firing tube and has for its principal object the provision of an'improved construction of this character which will be highly efficient in use and economical in manufacture.

Among the several objects of this invention is to provide a device of this character which is capable of successively projecting balls at a high rapidity thereby to simulate the effect of machine gun operation.

It is another object of this invention to accomplish the foregoing result by a device which is simple in construction, easy of operation, and one which comprises the minimum number of parts.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be'best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a mounting structure showing my invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing parts thereof in different positions;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the reverse side of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line l-4 of Fig. 1.

It is contemplated that the preferred form of construction for accomplishing the several objects of my invention comprise a mounting structure Ill which may be a wall or partition of a cabinet or housing with which the device is associated.

Mounted on this wall H] is a bracket structure I I carrying a motor !2, preferably of the electrical type although the motor may, if desired, be spring-driven. The shaft I3 of this motor I2 is journaled in a suitable bearing l4. Fixed to this shaft for rotation therewith is a cam I5 having a hill l6 of substantial length. This hill It is adapted to have engagement with a roller I! carried by an arm I8. One end portion of this arm I8 is pivoted as at I9 to the mounting structure Ill. The opposite end portion of this arm carries a pin 2| which projects through an e1ongated opening 22 formed in the mounting structure In. On this .pin 2| is an enlarged washer 23 which serves to prevent lateral displacement of the pin with respect to the opening 22.

Formed in the mounting structure it is a downwardly tapered opening 24 through which a ball 25 is delivered to a ball seat 26 bifurcated so as to permit a portion 21 of the ball to be disposed beneath the seat for engagement with a striker arm hereinafter referred to. The arm l8 normally is positioned to permit a ball to pass through the delivery opening 24 from a feed tube 28 mounted on the mounting wall I0. Projecting into the bottom portion of the feed tube 28 is a blocking finger 29 formed as an integral part of a wire length 30 secured to the pin 2| as shown in Fig. 3. The arrangement is such that when the hill of the cam I 6 is disposed from engagement with the roller 11, a spring 3| will pivot the arm I8 upwardly about its pivot connection to the mounting wall Ill to dispose the arm from blocking position with respect to the opening 24. In this position the blocking finger 29 is disposed in a position to block passage of balls from the feeding tube 28 to the opening 2d. However, when the hill engages the roller the arm [8 will be moved downwardly into blocking position as shown in Fig. 1 to block passage of a ball through the opening 24 to the seat 26. In this position of the arm IS the blocking finger 29 is moved from ball blocking position to permit the lowermost ball in the tube 28 to gravitate into the opening 24 where it is held until released by the arm I8. The tube 28 may be of any length and may communicate with a suitable hopper (not shown) from which balls gravitate into the tube 28.

The means for projecting the ball from the seat 26 comprises a disc 32 mounted upon the shaft 13. Carried by this disc 32 adjacent and off-center with respect to the shaft I3, is a stud shaft 33. On this stud shaft 33 is mounted, for movement relative thereto, a striking finger 34. The striking end of this finger 34 projects into and moves through a track 35 mounted on the wall It]. The width of the striking end 35 is zifflcient to pass through the bifurcated ball seat Opposite the striking end 35 of the finger 34 are laterally extending arms 36 arranged in alignment with respect to each other. To the ends of these arms are secured, as at 31, springs 38. The opposite end portions of these springs 38 are secured as at 39 to the disc 32.

Spaced from the ball seat 26 and arranged in the path of the striking end 35 of the finger 34 is a laterally extending blocking pin 49. The.

arrangement is such that, as the disc 32 is rotated by rotation of the shaft I 3, the striking end 35 of the finger 34 will engage the blocking pin 40, with the result that as the disc is rotated the finger 34 will be momentarily held against rotation to place the springs 38 under tension as shown in Fig. 2. These springs will remain under tension until the striking end 35 rides off of the blocking pin 40 at which time the springs 38 will act upon the finger 34 and violently pivot the finger 34 into striking engagement with the ball 2'! with such force as to drive the ball along the track 35' to a position where it will pass through a firing tube 42 communicating with the track 35 at the upper end thereof.

In target practicing apparatuses or in other amusement game apparatuses where it is desired to project successively balls at a target or other object, it is of importance that the projection of the balls be with substantial rapidity so as not to delay the playing of the apparatus and also to hold the attraction and amusement of the player of the apparatus. By the employment of a construction such as is herein described a projectile device is provided which will accomplish this object.

My improved projectile device may be mounted in a game apparatus in any approved manner such as, for example, upon a swivel support which will permit the device to be adjusted for aiming in various directions.

My projectile device is especially useful for employment in amusement game apparatuses.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A ball projector comprising a circular runway, a rotatable member arranged within and concentrically with respect to said runway, means for rotating said member, a striker pivotally carried by said member and rotatable therewith and extending radially therefrom and having an end portion movable through said runway, spring means arranged at right angles with respect to said striker for balancing said striker in one position with respect to said member, said striker at its point of pivotal connection with said member provided with oppositely related laterally extending arms arranged in substantially the same plane with respect to said spring means, a stationary ball seat arranged in said runway, a fixed blocking member arranged in said runway in advance position with respect to said ball seat for engagement with the end of said striker to pivot said arms out of the plane of said spring means to a position at substantially right angles thereto to place said spring means under tension during rotation of said rotatable member and to effect striking of said finger against a ball on said seat by said spring means when said end portion of said striker rides off said blocking member to project said ball from said seat through said runway.

2. A ball projector comprising a circular runway, a rotatable member arranged within and concentrically with respect to said runway, means for rotating said member, a striker pivotally carried by said member and rotatable therewith and extending radially therefrom and having an end portion movable through said runway, spring means arranged at right angles with respect to said striker for balancing said striker in one position with respect to said member, said striker at its point of pivotal connection with said member provided with oppositely related laterally extending arms arranged in substantially the same plane with respect to said spring means, a stationary ball seat arranged in said runway, a fixed blocking member arranged in said runway in advance position with respect to said ball seat for engagement with the end of said striker, to pivot said arms out of the plane of said spring means to a position at substantially right angles thereto to place said spring means under tension during rotation of said rotatable member and to effect striking of said finger against a ball on said seat by said spring means when said end portion of said striker rides off said blocking member to project said ball from said seat through said runway, and a firing tube communicating with the runway and through which the projected ball is adapted to be projected from said runway.

3. A ball projector comprising a circular runway, a rotatable member arranged within and concentrically with respect to said runway, means for rotating said member, a striker pivotally carried by said member and rotatable therewith and extending radially therefrom and having an end portion movable throughsaid runway, spring means arranged at right angles with respect to said striker for balancing said striker in one position with respect to said member, said striker at its point of pivotal connection with said member provided with oppositely related laterally extending arms arranged in, substantially the same plane with respect to said spring means, a stationary ball seat arranged in said runway, a fixed blocking member arranged in said runway in advance position with respect to said ball seat for engagement with the end of said striker to pivot said arms out of the plane of said spring means to a position at substantially right angles thereto to place said spring means under tension during rotation of said rotatable member and to efiect striking of said finger against a ball on said seat by said spring means when said end portion of said striker rides off said blocking member to project said ball from said seat through said runway, and means for successively delivering balls to said ball seat.

41. A ball projector comprising a circular runway, a rotatable member arranged within and concentrically with respect to said runway, means for rotating said member, a striker pivotally carried by said member and rotatable therewith and extending radially therefrom and having an end portion movable through said runway, spring means arranged at right angles with respect to said striker for balancing said strikerin one position with respect to said member, said striker at its point of pivotal connection with said member provided with oppositely related laterally extending arms arranged in substantially the same plane with respect to said spring means, a stationary ball seat arranged in said runway, a fixed blocking member arranged in said runway in advance position with respect to said ball seat for engagement with the end of said striker to pivot said arms out of the plane of said spring means to a position at substantially right angles thereto to place said spring means under tension during rotation of said rotatable member and to effect 5 striking of said finger against a ball on said seat by said spring means when said end portion of said striker rides off said blocking member to project said ball from said seat through said runway, a firing tube communicating with the runway and through which the projected ball is adapted to be projected from said runway, and means for successively delivering balls to said ball seat.

MELVIN J. BINKS.

6 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Judd et a1. July 13, 1915 Long July 11, 1916 Dickman May 13, 1930 Gavlak Dec. 1, 1931 Stuart June 14, 1932 Marcy Aug. 28, 1951 

